Last Half 2022 – September

Good Morning ALL! Another beautiful day on the way. The sky is partially overcast but I am hoping that it remains dry for the day. I am so grateful to my daughter for spending overnight on Friday with me and Alvin. She stayed until about noon on Saturday. I had a list of things that I required an extra set of hands for so she helped me out. We hauled the dresser in from the garage and it is all set up and most of the drawers are filled already. Moved things about. One of my downstairs plants has a new home atop of the dresser. She helped me trim a bit more fur/hair from Mr. Alvin’s front paws. He was squirmy so we did not get much but a bit and that is great. There was an ear cleaning (he sure sat a lot better for her than for me). We moved the heavier plant pots that had been emptied into the garage along with the base of the umbrella stand that she gave me. Well actually the base is sitting on the upper deck drying out from the last rain. I do not want wet sand sitting in the garage. The big thing was TRIMMING THE TRIM. I was amazed that with girl power how much we were able to do. We even brought out the 5 foot step ladder and got some of the higher branches, not the highest ones but enough that I feel better. We were so proud and even had fun doing it. Amanda likes to trim trees, I found out. We also found out that if we both hold onto the tree trimmer together and one pulls the rope it worked a lot better. The tree trimmer is about 8 or so feet long and has a hard core blade system at the end. It is very heavy for one person. She was amazed that I had done it by myself the past years. Well, I always say “you do what needs to be done, one way or the other.” We tossed the branches over the back gate as I needed to borrow my neighbours shorter handle tree trimmer tool to cut up the branches so that they can be taken by our garage people. So it was a great morning.

In the afternoon, I did laundry, some cleaning and later in the afternoon, our friend Pauline stopped by with a plant and some seeds. Sunflower and Brown-Eyed Susan plants. We chatted for a few minutes and then we walked her home where we had a short visit as it was time for her to prepare supper and me to go home and ready mine. I fed Mr. Alvin before she arrived at our house.

So a great day all round. I rewound and watched LIGHTYEAR a few more times and even saw bits that I had missed from Friday night. That was in the afternoon. Just left the movie playing as I did some housework. Last night it was just watching some episodes of YOUNG SHELDON and BIG BANG THEORY. Some I had seen before but I enjoy these two shows so I watched them again.

Our tree is beginning to turn yellow. I noticed there are quite a few trees that are still very green.

The grass is a mix of green and yellow/brown. The north side of the street most of the lawns have gone yellow/brown but on our side, the south side, many remain green.

Well time to go and get dressed for the day. Have some coffee and then go and chop some branches. I have to retrieve the laundry that is drying in the basement and then do a couple of loads of laundry. Have a walk with Mr. Alvin somewhere along the way and then have a quiet one. We might use BOBI the robot vacuum cleaner to clean upstairs. My daughter is lending me BOBI as her floor space is small and she does not use much and my vacuum cleaner, my beautiful ELECTROLUX is not working. I think it is the sensor according to some troubleshooting research that I did on GOOGLE Search. Perhaps at some point I will find someone who can fix it.

Wishing you a great day.

Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, compassion, patience, love, laughter, understanding, gratitude, focus and possibilities with COFFEE.

Always, Carol & Alvlin

2021

Good Morning ALL! How are you this morning? I am well, we are well. Perhaps a slight bit sleep deprived but nothing new. Still dark outside and that is part of living in Western Canada. The sun will not rise for awhile but that is okay. We will be voting on the time change next week. “To be or not to be, that is the question.” Sound familiar. Someone has decided this morning to bark every 10 seconds or so while I am upstairs despite my calling down to reassure him. Perhaps he has to pee but not likely. He is joined to me at the hip and whenever I am in the house and not beside him …. it is a problem. Definitely is getting more anxious as he ages. When I am outside and he can see me, no problem. Thank goodness that I do not have to go back to work at the office very often. My next time is November 9th, 2021, I think but I will have to find someone to come and check on him or he will go spend the day with someone. There is no way he will survive a 10 or so hour day without going outside or having human contact. Life.

Yesterday morning Canadian born William Shatner became the oldest person to go to space. I listened to him as he spoke to Jeff B. upon his return to Earth. He was so genuinely excited about the trip and grateful that he was able to see Earth from space. As he said he will be changed forever and he wished that everyone could have that experience. I wish that as well. I am so happy that “Captain Kirk” got to actually go to space. How strangely wonderful is that. Pretty darn exciting.

Someone is finally quiet down there and I am not sure why. Grateful for the quiet.

Yesterday we enjoyed two walks, one at my lunch break and the other after work. Before the walk after work I raked the leaves from our front lawn including Humphrey & Bogart’s. The leaves were crunchy. So pretty. Love this time of year.

• 

  Sunflower in my back garden couple of years ago

I thought that perhaps we needed a bit of “yellow perfection” in our Thursday. I love Sunflowers. So perfectly beautiful. My gift to you for today.

Well time to go and get that coffee on to perk and see if Mr. Alvin does in fact have to go outside.

I wish you a great Thursday.

Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, patience, compassion, understanding, love, laughter and gratitude.

Always, Carol & Alvin

2021

Good Morning All! I can honestly say it is a good morning, well actually a great morning. Yesterday my son-in-law was here waiting for my daughter to finish at an appointment. Alvin was so happy to see him. We chatted about his anxiety as he is always panting even for no apparent reason and that his Doctor had said we could look at putting him on an anti-anxiety medication. This was a recent conversation and with everything else going on we had not nailed down a time. Steve said why don’t you call and see if he could start now. So I called and after a few hours of waiting for confirmation- we were able to pick them up. One of my girlfriends picked them up as my son-in-law had to leave. So at 4:36 pm last night I have him an anti-anxiety pill, well actually it was 1/4 of one tablet and we went about our business. After we both ate, dishes were done and bit of tidying up we sat down on the sofa where we both nodded off. Next thing I know the phone was ringing and it was my friend G who was at the door for a scheduled visit. I had left the door unlocked before we laid down. We laughed when I told her that I had glanced at the time and it was 635 and then what seemed like five minutes later, she was there for 7 pm.

Oh my goodness- so nice when we have company. Alvin was so happy to see her. We chatted and caught up on our lives albeit mine has not been overly newsworthy. Before you knew it – two hours had passed and she was on her way home. We then started getting ready for bed, meds to the boy with some wet food. I got washed up, brushed my teeth and changed into my pjs. Did I tell you my “closet” is a laundry basket? Yup, it is. I placed items that I would wear in the basket along with a few pairs of pjs and placed it on the upstairs for convenience and blocking off access to the upstairs. I hung a few tops in the entrance way closet. I have a tall laundry container sitting on the basement landing to the stairs so I can easily place worn items there. A section of the kitchen counter is filled with our hygiene products. We are set up.

We were in bed on our current bed, the sofa a few minutes before 10 pm. We settled in pretty quickly. Through the night Alvin stirred but I was able to just say go back to sleep and he did. Finally we both woke up and I checked my phone for the time snd it was 535 am, our first full night sleep in one week. I almost leaped off the sofa and cried tears of joy. We got up, he had his breakfast and meds and a drink of water before heading outside. it was so lovely outside that I thought I could have him on the love seat while I watered my flowers who were droopy. But I decided not to water flowers at 600 am and we went back in and fell asleep till almost 900 am. We both near exhaustion- definitely needed that sleep. Once up to stay, I got dressed, put on some coffee, gave the boy his next round of meds before grabbing the watering can to fill. I figured as he is definitely more calm that I could leave him by the back door with a baby gate blocking access to the deck and quickly water the flowers. It worked, he watched as I watered and then came into the house to refill the watering can. Once done, I moved the baby gate and grabbed my phone and the boy to sit on the deck. I set him down carefully on the love seat and using the “coffee table” and a chair to block any possible attempt to jump down. I deadheaded some flowers while he quietly watched. Once done, I sat beside him just relaxing in the morning air.

We are now back in the house chilling on the sofa me writing and enjoying a mug of coffee while he rests. He is not totally out and the anti-anxiety pill does not appear to have caused him to be unsteady when he is awake and he is not sleeping constantly so it is working and I am great relieved.

Time to have breakfast for me. At the end of the day when you are feeling things are so dark and you think there is no hope, I am here to tell you that there most certainly is. All it takes is words snd they can change everything. I am so grateful to my son-in-law as I would not have made the call at this time.

Now feeling rested and more like I have a brain that is functioning properly- I can fo anything.

Have a great Friday and start to the weekend. Maybe catch some of the Olympics.

Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, compassion, patience, understanding, love and gratitude.

Always from Alvin and his very happy Momma!

• 

  Al this morning

• 

  From Pauline

Living … One day at a time.

Good Morning and Welcome to Winter once again.

I guess that I always associate “SNOW” with winter.

When we were first up at 3:00 a.m. – there was a nice cozy blanket of snow covering the ground.

Covering the deck, the rooftops and just everything.

The trees have that layer of snow covering each and every branch.

The snow has that fluffy consistency that we love.

Well I know that we like to make snow creations when the consistency is sticky.

But I love the fluffy snow the most.

I love the way that the street lamps and the moon reach down and make the snow sparkle as though they were a billion diamonds.

Brilliant and beautiful.

Ode to Snow.

How about that.

Only in Canada, eh!

Just kidding.

 

Well today is Wednesday.

Last night the STEEPED TEA order arrived and I had it pretty much all sorted before we even went for our walk.

Most of the orders go to my office.

They are ready to go.

Also my new toothbrush heads arrived as well.

They were in a light envelope and I am grateful that they did not blow away.

I am excited to try some new tea blends over the next while.

 

We enjoyed our walk last night.

Funny story.

We were walking just past the poop station near the entrance to our park.

It is quite dark as you continue down the path.

They could use more lights that is for sure and also there is one that was removed.

Not sure about that.

Alvin stopped and I coaxed him to go a bit further and then he was done and turned for home.

I managed to convince him to walk up the hill to the sidewalk instead and go down the street toward Teddy’s house.

He actually kept going.

So we walked our path in reverse.

Worked out okay.

That will be the way we go for the rest of the winter months or at least until it is not quite so dark.

I had my trusty little flashlight with me shining as we went.

Lighting the path.

A little safety blanket of sorts.

 

Well today is Wednesday.

When you are off on the Monday it certainly speeds up the work week.

Tomorrow is Thursday. WOW.

 

Today is also the 14th Birthday of a very sweet young lady.

She is the niece to my son-in-law.

Happy Birthday E-K

Wishing you the best Birthday.

I know that you enjoyed your brother’s hockey game with Auntie A (my daughter) at REXALL PLACE.

 

My daughter sent me a photo of the two girls all smiles.

 

A sunflower for the Birthday GIRL.

 

Well time to go out and play find the poop in the freshly fallen snow.

Luckily for me I was paying attention to Alvin when he was outside.

Time to do some shovelling as well.

 

Have an awesome Wednesday.

This day will be filled with pleasant surprises, I have a feeling.

Remembering to be filled with kindness and respect.

Always, Carol & Alvin

Living … One day at a time.

Hello to a gloom grey sky.

Just going to be a quiet day for us.

I think because of the gloomy skies, it would be a great time to share some colourful photos.

Photos taken over the years.

Flowers and Nature always bring a smile to my face.

Hopefully will bring a smile to your face.

 

 

I always find that when the sky is grey and rainy – flowers bring joy to my world.

Also Alvin does that as well.

Our children, our fur babies, adult family and friends …. they all bring us joy.

Wishing you a quiet, happy, healthy Sunday ….

 

With kindness and respect our days will be good.

 

 

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

 

 

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to the 19th day of October, 2019.

 

Another gorgeous day on the way.

Today is special for another reason.

Today we celebrate the 10th Wedding Anniversary of my daughter and son-in-law.

It was a day much like today is forecasted to be.

Sunshine and low teen temperatures.

Alvin, Aspen, Milo and Mum wish you both the most wonderful day.

You both have been through so much but always figure things out.

Alvin said to give hugs and kisses to you both.

I think that is a great idea.

Hugs and Kisses to you both from me and the pups.

 

Happy Happy Anniversary to you both.

 

The babies                                                Our tree reminds me of that day …. all the leaves had fallen, as well.

A SUNFLOWER to bring light into your life forever.

LAVENDER to bring good sleep every night of your lives.

CONSTRUCTION SIGN SLOW – a reminder to take things easy and relax, not to worry, just chill.

Stop and smell the roses.

 

PATH through a forest to remind us to just walk ahead and keep dreaming and also good exercise.

Alvin said to say that about the “good exercise.”

Take in the scenery whenever possible.

 

Even taking a couple of days to recharge is always a good thing.

 

Well I have to leave for work.

It was a rushed morning.

Happy Anniversary to my kids …. have an awesome day.

May the rest of your lives be filled with much love, joy, good health, energy, abundance and richness.

 

Special Hello to: my kids ….. Happy Anniversary

Always, Mom, Alvin, Aspen and Milo